Description
Bodies can be tricky to understand! This book will help children to overcome worries and feel, most importantly, like they belong. Sometimes children might feel like their body is different. But being different is completely natural … it’s just science! Trust the experts to help you have big conversations together using this inclusive guide.
Scott Evans –
Firstly, I just wanted to comment on how impressed I am with the content of this book, and I commend the team for collaborating together to bring us this book. I was really pleased to see that it delved into the science behind our bodies and explained clearly and concisely the beginnings of our bodies and their origins in a scientific context. For me, this makes the content of this book usable across the primary school when teaching children about their bodies from children in Early Years to those further on in their primary school learning journeys in Key Stage 2, particularly in science (such as in topics like evolution and inheritance) and PSHE. We really gain an understanding on both macro and micro levels of how our bodies have come to be and their relation to our world. Concepts such as atoms and molecules are hard to teach, and harder still to learn about from a child’s perspective, but with the range of detail and illustrations on offer I think these are brilliantly covered and will completely engage readers in their explanations. Furthermore, the application of scientific vocabulary throughout such as DNA, dominant and recessive genes and embryo terminology such as zygote and blastocyst are all expertly defined, and the glossary at the back goes a long way in assisting with this and providing further information about these specific terms which would encourage children and adult readers to research or look at these concepts in greater detail.
In addition to this, I really liked how the book provides relatable and understandable comparisons. These range from explaining atoms and molecules to the ways that genes work inside us like a computer code. This helps readers to better identify with these often intangible concepts by providing a more accessible perspective. Another aspect that I found to be brilliant was the ways in which differences are described. This includes medical conditions, skin colours and gender identities. They are accurate, authentic and precise in their factual knowledge which means that children will not only remember how people are different but the reasons why they are different. This is important because as they grow old, they will see differences as something that all of us have and that differences are real and true-to-life, not because of someone’s opinion (which actually is the principal reason for many people’s hate and intolerance to differences as we see in the world today). I really like that not only is science obviously covered throughout the book, but there are historical and geographical references too such as in the explanation of melanin in the skin and how all humans were originally from Africa.
I have also found the book to be very inclusive and diverse in its text and illustrations. There are many elements of different lives that have been considered such as sex, gender identity, intergenerationalism, adoption, same-sex parenting, cultural identity, disability, deafness, medical conditions, racism and discrimination, ethnicity and heritage, as well as many more including body image and dysmorphia. I also like how the book finishes with spreads about individuality and uniqueness, with a range of helpful tips and strategies to take action and change children’s perceptions and attitudes towards themselves. This is fantastic and promotes so much positivity, as well as emphasising the significance of sleep, exercise and food.
Overall, I believe this is a brilliantly empowering book that has the capacity to help children feel confident and comfortable within their bodies, as well as learn lots about them at the same time.
– Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher @mreprimary